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Economic literature shows a continuing interest in issues involving sustainable development, but rarely examines the social pillar, instead focusing on the interconnectedness of the economic and environmental pillars. When the social pillar is taken into account, its role is to facilitate this interconnectedness as an interface. With one voice, economic analyses make it clear that its connection to the other two pillars is important in terms of people’s living conditions and the social acceptance of change in our journey towards ecological transition. Nonetheless, in studies devoted to sustainable development, the social pillar remains nothing more than an interface, and hence a place will have to be prepared for it in economic policies for sustainable development. To this end, we will have to return to a conceptualisation of the social pillar which embraces the origins of sustainable development. This in turn will offer new opportunities for public policies which have previously been viewed as unconnected to sustainable development.